Coronavirus thread

[Irons]

+1

The vaccine suspension created and now feeds a spiral of fear. More countries suspend because other countries have done it, not because of proven ill-effects. Governments fear they might be perceived as reckless if they don't suspend the AZ vaccine - and see their polls go down as a result. The net result is that global vaccination is slowed, meaning more deaths from Covid than might have been feared - a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Agreed. Irresponsible to cast doubt in people's minds with false information - Twitter does a good job of that already (so I am told). It does make you wonder when first it was claimed AZ was ineffective for the over 65's which was disproved and now this.
I think as some forum members reading this thread have received the AZ jab it should be discussed with sensitivity. Just saying.

[André]

This article is a good read on the Vaccine conundrum:

https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/03/16/world/covid-19-coronavirus

[MusicTurner]

Things going quite OK here in DK, a stable situation for weeks with relatively small infection rates (0.25 - 0.35 % of tests), massive testing (yesterday saw more than  5% of the entire population on a single day), fatalities going down with 90% or more, compared to a couple of months ago. B117 is now 93% of infections; all infections are screened, as opposed to some other countries. But in relation to plans for further opening up, worries are that a third wave might hit us as well.

I've had 5 PCR tests too within a few weeks, due to medical ongoings, they have been very varied as regards unpleasantness. Always negative results. And none of my closer acquaintances have been sick, touch wood. But we all really long for that vaccine and being able to relax more and return to more normality.

Concerning the AZ, it seems that blood clots have maybe actually been fewer than in the average population, and it will probably stay in circulation, perhaps with a few restrictions.

[Mandryka]

Things going quite OK here in DK, a stable situation for weeks with relatively small infection rates (0.25 - 0.35 % of tests), massive testing (yesterday saw more than  5% of the entire population on a single day), fatalities going down with 90% or more, compared to a couple of months ago. B117 are now 93% of infections; all infections are screened, as opposed to some other countries. But in relation to plans for further opening up, worries are that a third wave might hit us as well.

I've had 5 PCR tests too within a few weeks, due to medical ongoings, they have been very varied as regards unpleasantness. Always negative results. And none of my closer acquaintances have been sick, touch wood. But we all really long for that vaccine and being able to relax more and return to more normality.

How much UK variant do you have?

[MusicTurner]

The most common UK variant is B117 (B 1.1.7), now 93% here.

[Mandryka]

The most common UK variant is B117 (B 1.1.7), now 93% here.

It's interesting that you have it under control, and the UK had struggled so much with that before vaccination. Are schools and shops open?

[MusicTurner]

Shops are, but some not (hairdressers etc), and schools for the younger pupils. Older pupils only share a weekly day outdoors, the remaining time is via computer learning at home etc. Some boarding schools etc. are open, but they require frequent testing.

However, more opening up is expected to be announced next week. The little affected island of Bornholm is already laboratory ground for more openings, based on more testing.

Summer holiday options/tourism, the cultural sector, and eating out, will be particularly interesting news.

[Que]

OK, but sentiments that fit your narrative.

Your assumptions are mistaken.

I'm well aware that anything relating to the AZ vacvine has been politicised in both the UK and the EU, but to me this is not a political/adverserial issue.

Q

[Irons]

Your assumptions are mistaken.

I'm well aware that anything relating to the AZ vacvine has been politicised in both the UK and the EU, but to me this is not a political/adverserial issue.

Q

Good.

[Karl Henning]

The state's [Mass.]vaccination rollout has improved, but the full picture is more complex.

[MusicTurner]

Interesting. According to the Berlingske newspaper, Danish professor Niels Høiby suggesting that the few cases of serious AZ problems may simply come from a failed technique during vaccination, resulting in the vaccine getting immediately into the blood, which it shouldn't - it's meant to go deep into the muscles, and the procedure should test the chosen spot, before the actual shot. You shouldn't press the skin so much, that you can't check if there's a blood vein there. It's been given to young health staff and the cases thus caused a lot of attention, but basically that possible error applies to all vaccines.

[Stürmisch Bewegt]

My neighbor, a QAnon follower, begged me this afternoon not to get the vaccination.  Her husband calls her delusional (and there may be a serious rift looming in their marriage).
I agree with him, she is, but she also happens to be a very nice person - or as nice as is possible considering the beliefs they espouse.  I did not have the heart (courage?; candor?) to tell her I've already received Shot No. 1. 

[prémont]

Interesting. According to the Berlingske newspaper, Danish professor Niels Høiby suggesting that the few cases of serious AZ problems may simply come from a failed technique during vaccination, resulting in the vaccine getting immediately into the blood, which it shouldn't - it's meant to go deep into the muscles, and the procedure should test the chosen spot, before the actual shot. You shouldn't press the skin so much, that you can't check if there's a blood vein there. It's been given to young health staff and the cases thus caused a lot of attention, but basically that possible error applies to all vaccines.

Even if the instruction of the Danish "Statens Seruminstitut" doesn't imply aspiration before injection of the vaccine to see if it is located in a vessel, I don't think intravascular injection is the most important reason for the serious adverse reactions to the A-Z vaccine. If this was so, it would be a much more common reaction. The decisive factor is probably an unusually fast and strong reacting immune system. And I don't know if they do aspiration before injection in Norway and Austria.

[MusicTurner]

There are some new investigation results into the matter about the causes now, from Norwegian and German doctors, both declaring that they've found something, yet this was announced after the EMA press release, and the exact results are still hazy, they might become more specified soon. It might-might be a combination of several factors, given their rarity (apparently less than 100 clots in 20 mio cases).

[Mandryka]

There are some new investigation results into the matter about the causes now, from Norwegian and German doctors, both declaring that they've found something, yet this was announced after the EMA press release, and the exact results are still hazy, they might be more specified soon. It might-might be a combination of several factors, given their rarity (apparently less than 100 clots in 20 mio cases).

This sort of thing?

https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/KyGv2G/professor-says-cause-of-rare-bloodclots-in-people-vaccinated-with-astrazeneca-has-been-found

[MusicTurner]

This sort of thing?

https://www.vg.no/nyheter/innenriks/i/KyGv2G/professor-says-cause-of-rare-bloodclots-in-people-vaccinated-with-astrazeneca-has-been-found

Exactly, and I still think some details are missing. They say it's the vaccine, but ... for example, why, in those cases?

[Mandryka]

Exactly, and I still think some details are missing. They say it's the vaccine, but ... for example, why, in those cases?

Ah yes, well, that's the $1,000,000 question.

[prémont]

Exactly, and I still think some details are missing. They say it's the vaccine, but ... for example, why, in those cases?

It seems to be the combination of a hyperreactive immune system and this particular vaccine, which elicits the DIC syndrome, but obviously more investigation is needed.

[Karl Henning]

On a personal note, I've just scheduled a vaccine appointment for a week from today.

[Biffo]

Strange there hasn't been much discussion of the Pfizer vaccine and blood clots.

https://www.businesstelegraph.co.uk/coronavirus-pfizers-covid-vaccine-is-linked-to-more-blood-clots-than-astrazenecas-in-the-uk/